There seems to be a new generation on the rise. Not only on the rise, but very much in full swing as you read this now. The tides have shifted and the way we live our lives today is far beyond the reminiscence of the past.
At the age of 24 my mother was chasing two children around while pregnant with her third. As I watched my 24th birthday pass by, I realized I am closer to turning 30 than I am to starting a family. Could I actually picture myself being able to support a family of five? The answer is no.
I am, like many other twenty-something-year-olds, on a path to figuring out my life before I can join it with someone else. Things take longer. Growing up takes longer. We now live in the middle of a recession that takes a big cut into the process of growing up. Getting a job is no longer as easy as walking into a business and handing your resume over. Even a simple recommendation isn’t enough at times.
We now live in a generation where a bachelor’s degree is becoming as recognizable as a high school diploma. And although I worked a considerable amount to earn my illustrious degree, I am not guaranteed a job.
My resume looks like the equivalent of a thousand resumes handed into the pile.
Opportunities will come eventually, but the process presumably takes longer than it used to. I may not be married in my early 20s and I may not even have my career figured out, but I do know there is joy in living my life for a greater goal.
So when my mother asks why I haven’t settled down and the economy still has yet to offer careers stable enough to build families on, I know that I have an answer for all the uncertainty. It is a different generation, one that will soon thrive, even if it takes a little longer.
Casey Rowley is a freelance writer in the Santa Clarita Valley. Questions or comments please send to caseymrowley@yahoo.com.